


Back to life

by Royal_Ermine



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, New Year's Eve, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13214292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Royal_Ermine/pseuds/Royal_Ermine
Summary: Bucky defrosted and distressed. Steve at his reassuring and loving best. A healthy slice of gentle fluff for all you romantic types.





	Back to life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BethofAus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BethofAus/gifts).



> A very special New Year's Eve present for my dear friend, Beth of Aus, who is the most amazing fanfic supporter on here, and who has given me lots of happy smiles during 2017. You may wish to read this as a companion piece to Nativity" (a short prequel fic) but it is equally good as a stand alone story.

“Why?”

“Why what, sweetheart?”

“Why did you bring me back to life?”

“I…I don’t understand?”

“The Colonel told me” he scowled

“Told you what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Rogers”

“Bucky…I SAID you didn’t need to know”

“And I’d have been content with that, if it weren’t for one thing”

Steve cocked his eyebrow

“The moment I looked up from that picture book you pressed into my hand, you couldn’t stop telling me how much you loved me, and how much you missed me. We were kissing and cuddling like there was no tomorrow. You were all over me like a rash”

Steve’s expression turned frantic “You…you didn’t want to?”

Bucky placed a reassuring hand on Steve’s forearm

“Relax…I’m so damn happy I could cry, Stevie”

Steve let out a breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding in

“But it…it’s not exactly what I’m used to” he continued “A few weeks ago, you’d never have talked to your “best guy” like that…not in public at least. Now we’ve had half a dozen doctors watching us making out like crazy in a hospital bed, and you didn’t even bother to draw the curtains”

Steve blushed furiously

“So either I’m dreaming’, I’m in heaven, or a helluva lot has happened”

“I told you, sweetheart. A long time’s gone by since we were together last” he looked away, shyly

“Yeah, and they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder" he snorted "But I could tell right away there was something much deeper going on; that you were regretting something. Whether it was something you did or something I did, I didn’t know…and I HAD to know”

Steve’s eyes fixed back on Bucky’s

“I didn’t ask Fury so I could find out about me. I asked him so I could find out about US”

“So…now you know” Steve whispered, his lip trembling

Bucky nodded

“And you…you wish you were dead, is that it?”

He looked down sullenly at the bedsheets “You can’t kill the dead, Stevie”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hydra killed Sergeant Barnes with human experiments. Shield killed the Winter Soldier with superheroes. I’m dead twice over”

Steve’s eyes widened “But…but you’re not dead to me, Buck”

“No, I’m not dead to you. Fury was clear enough about that. He said I’d have been dead many times more if you hadn’t insisted I be saved”

Bucky snorted again and looked back at Steve

“I guess I’ve answered my own damn question haven’t I?”

“Huh?”

“About why you brought me back to life, I mean. You did this for yourself, didn’t you?”

“You’re right” he murmured, shamefaced “I was so selfish”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Bucky shook his head

“It is…sweetheart…it’s….”

“You know, I asked Fury two questions.” Bucky cut in. “To understand about us, I first needed to ask about my past, and then I needed to ask about yours”

“There’s nothing about me has any bearing on what I did”

“No, I’m sure all those years being the shining beacon of freedom and independence didn’t harm you at all” Bucky forced a hollow laugh “I wasn’t the only human experiment out there, Stevie”

“I wasn’t tortured” he flashed

“Oh weren’t you? What makes you happy, Captain America? Did anyone ever ask you that? Did anyone ever listen for your answer?”

“Damnit Buck, YOU make me happy”

“Then maybe they did listen. Because that’s exactly what they tortured you with. Me, in a Hydra cell; me in a metal cage; me in a glass coffin”

“And I brought you back, against your will” Steve sobbed

“Just because you haven’t asked me what I want, doesn’t meant it’s too late to ask me now”

“So what do you want Buck?” he pleaded “What makes YOU happy?”

Bucky pulled Steve into a deep sensuous kiss, carding a hand through his golden hair

“Does that answer your question, Stevie?”

“Hmmm…I dunno. Lemme hear that again will you?”

This time Steve pulled Bucky into his kiss, their tongues entwining in breathless passion

“Okay” panted Steve, an impish grin on his face “I…I believe ya!”

“Good, so will you stop telling yourself you’re being selfish and listen to me; listen to your heart, and give yourself a break for once?”

Steve nodded, chastened

“Now, tell me truthfully what it is you want?”

“I…I want you sweetheart” he squeaked “My heart wants you…please….please say you’ll be mine?”

Bucky chuckled softly “That almost sounds like a proposal. You’ll be telling me next two fellahs can get married these days”

“They can. Bucky, it’s New Year’s Eve, not as if you can really tell in a hospital ward in the middle of a jungle, but would you like to start out next year as my husband?”

“You don’t even have a ring”

Steve shrugged “I’m unprepared with the ring box, that’s true, but my heart’s prepared. It’s been prepared for the last 75 years.”

“So” he blushed “If you’re actually gonna do it, are you gonna ask me properly?”

Steve took Bucky’s hand and got to one knee at his bedside “James Buchanan Barnes, will you marry me?”

“Hmmm, lemme see…how long would you like me to torture you for this time?”

Steve made a strangled sound and stared up imploringly

Bucky beamed right back “And a Happy New Year to you too, my future husband”


End file.
